Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communications systems, and more particularly to cooperative use of wireless wide area network (WWAN) and wireless local area network (WLAN) components in a single device supporting multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs).
Description of Related Art
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations or access points, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). A base station or access point may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station). Communication between a UE and a base station may use a wireless wide area network (WWAN), while communication between a UE and an access point may use a wireless local area network (WLAN). Wi-Fi is an example of a common WLAN technology supported by a UE. UEs typically include different WWAN and WLAN receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) chains. For example, a UE may have one or more Rx and Tx chains used for WWAN transmissions, and may also have separate Rx and Tx chains used for WLAN transmissions.
Some UEs may include a subscriber identity module (SIM), which may be used to enable the UE to communicate on a particular network. Some UEs are dual- or multiple-SIM devices, meaning that the UE is configured to receive and use more than one SIM card. Thus, a multiple-SIM device may simultaneously operate in either an active or a standby mode on more than one network. For example, a dual-SIM, dual-active (DSDA) device is configured to actively transmit and receive on two different networks at the same time. A dual-SIM, dual standby (DSDS) device is configured to allow active transmission on one network while being in standby mode on a second network. Multiple-SIM, multiple active (MSMA) and/or multiple-SIM, multiple standby (MSMS) devices may also be used. For each additional SIM, additional Tx and/or Rx chains may be used, adding to the cost and complexity of the UE.